Best Lager Yeast

[l33th4ll]

I have considered swapping the yeast found in lager kits for something better so i can keep a spare incase primary fermentation dosent go well.

But which yeast should i go for i did see some Saflager S-23 but i have read it produces a fruity fllavour.

ALso it seems best temp range is around 18 degress so why do mosy cooper kits say to use 23 degree plus is this due to it being a ale yeast included?

 

[Kyral210]

Acording to John Palmer - How to Brew, the difference between lager and ale is temperature, time and yeast.

A different stain of yeast is used which is happier at low temperatures. The lower temperatures mean lower rates of activity in the yeast, and thus fermentation and conditioning takes longer. The lower temperatures also reduced the amount of fruity esters the yeast produces, which means the lager has a cleaner taste than then a light ale might. I could go on, but I wont.

Yes, if you go for a good name dried lager yeast it will be better than a no name mystery pack on the tin; probably. It is also worth remembering that the brewing process is also an incredibly important process. You have to make the wort in the right way, ferment in a completely sterilised container at a low temperature (see yeast, but probably 12°C). Finally, you have to rack the lager into a secondary fermenter and lager (German for store) at an even lower temperature (say 2°C). The lagering phase precipitates tanning, proteins and other bi-products out of the beer to give a cleaner, better beer. Finally, prime, bottle, wait for carbonation, chill and drink.

So you see, just throwing some different yeast in the bucket, fermenting at 18°C for a few days, priming, bottling, carbonating and drinking might give a drink reminiscent of lager, but it wont be lager.

My recommendation? Buy craft brewed lager (Punkdog 77 lager) and brew your own ale. Wheat beer is good and not too difficult to achieve in a home environment, but remember, don't go near sugar, always add extract. And with wheat beer, its wheat extract you want, not malt extract!

 

[Aleman]

I have considered swapping the yeast found in lager kits for something better so i can keep a spare incase primary fermentation dosent go well.

But which yeast should i go for i did see some Saflager S-23 but i have read it produces a fruity fllavour.

ALso it seems best temp range is around 18 degress so why do mosy cooper kits say to use 23 degree plus is this due to it being a ale yeast included?

First off most kits supply an ale yeast, which is why they say fermentation temps of 18-23C (Coopers European is a lager yeast . . . but they still quote 18-23C . . . but mention it will be better fermented cooler)

S-23 is a very good lager yeast, and I've had some cracking results from it . . . BUT if you ferment it warmer than it should be it will produce fruitier flavours than an ale yeast (Like Nottingham) fermented cooler. Ideally you want to be fermenting it below 14C, it can go as low as 9C, but you need to pitch lots (4 or 5 packets in a 5 gallon batch) if you do that, and even at 14C you need to consider pitching 2 packets. . . . Which makes the 6g packet supplied with Coopers European look pretty poor in comparison.

I've tried Coopers Kits with sugar and with extra light spray malt and the lager kits are always MUCH better using sugar. the extra colour and residual sweetness throws the balance of the lager kits off by a country mile IME . . possibly a blend of 75% sugar and 25% Spray malt (Always Extra Light unhopped) would give better results.

Other lager yeasts to consider are W34/70 - My favourite but again if you are pitching at the fermentation temperature you need to pitch lots . . you can pitch at 20C and chill after 12 hours . . . but that can still create some 'interesting' flavours.

Temperature control during fermentation is important . . . for lager fermentation it is critical . . . shoving it in an unheated room may or may not produce ideal results depending on what the temperature swings are . . . I've produced some cracking lagers this way.